Albert Haynesworth, welcome to New England. Bill Belichick managed to pull a rabbit out of a hat once again, swapping a fifth-round draft pick in 2013 for the defensive tackle who was once considered the best in football.
At this point, it's borderline silly to question Belichick's personnel decisions when it comes to bringing in questionable characters (see Corey Dillon, Rodney Harrison, Randy Moss, etc), seeing that all of them have worked out to some degree. But is Haynesworth the one that Belichick can't crack?
Remember, we're talking about the same man who stomped on the helmet-less head of Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode, let a check worth over $100 million just sit around his house for weeks and crashed and burned with the Redskins, even being suspended for the rest of the season in December of 2010.
At the very least, It's clear that they guy has a screw loose.
Haynesworth has talent, that's not the issue. The two-time Pro Bowler has 325 tackles (242 solo) and 31 sacks in nine NFL seasons. In 2008-09, his last season with the Tennessee Titans, Haynesworth recorded career highs in solo tackles (41) and sacks (8.5).
But can Belichick work his magic again and get Haynesworth to bite into a slice of humble pie? It will undoubtedly be his biggest magic trick yet, but there really isn't a reason to doubt him now in this area.
Yet here's where it gets good, this is a Randy Moss type trade. If you get something out of him, that's great. If you don't, and he turns out to be a dud, all you lost was a low draft pick. The Patriots really can't lose.
If Haynesworth rips apart the Patriots locker room, then the Pats can easily cut ties, and fans will give them the benefit of the doubt for trying. If he works out beautifully and changes, Belichick looks like a decision. It's a win, win.
Hopefully Haynesworth comes into camp with a chip on his shoulder, looking to prove that he's still a productive player in this league and can help a team. If he does, this could prove to be one of the best trades of the year.